Ned Hanlan - Early Life

Early Life

Hanlan was born to Irish parents; one of two sons and two daughters. His mother was Mary Gibbs, his father, John, was first a fisherman and later a hotel keeper on the Toronto Islands. The Hanlan family originally lived at the east end of Toronto Island, but a severe storm in 1865 pushed their little house into the harbour. It washed ashore near the north end of Gibraltar Point, at the island's west end. A few years later, Ned's father built a small hotel there, and the area started becoming known as Hanlan's Point, long before Ned became famous. Young Hanlan used to row several kilometres every day across the harbour to go to and from George Street public school, Toronto. He developed speed to bring freshly caught fish to sell at market before other fishermen arrived to compete.

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